Do you want to know Mickael Chatelain Fusion card trick secret?
How he magically transforms one card to another right in his hand, as presented in his demo video.
According to his promo, turning any card into the spectator’s card with your fingertips.
He says this close-up trick, allows you to show a card on both sides of the face, until the last second, before transforming it into another card.
According to the French magician Mickael Chatelain, he has kept the secret method of this trick for years.
Welcome to another post from the Info Ruckus Magic Trick Secrets Revealed series.
Effect:
A spectator choses a card (ex: King of Hearts), and it is slipped back between the deck.
Next you pick up the first card from the deck, and shows it is a different card (ex: Nine of Spades).
It is momentarily placed back on top of the deck, then it is pulled out and folded it in half, and askew.
The magician turns the folded card around, to show the two edges of the 9 of Spades card.
Now you can blow, shake or just pass your hand in front of the apparently folded Nine of spades card.
Mysteriously it changes to the chosen card, the King of Hearts.
Finally unfold the card to show it is now has change from the Nine of Spades to the King of Hearts card.
Let’s watch the demo video of Fusion by Mickael Chatelain:
Mickael Chatelain Fusion Secret Trick Revealed
After a few viewings of the above video, I think I know how this transformation card effect is done.
To confirm my speculation of the trick, I watched another Fusion video clip in YouTube by John Cardella.
My gaff card version is probably not exactly as the original gimmick as Mickael Chatelain’s creation.
I would accompany the explanations with pictures of my rough mock-up gaff card, and also together with images from the videos and video snippets.
Mickael Chatelain Fusion Gimmick Card
For a clearer explanation, let’s use Mickael’s first act, the Nine of Spades card changes to the King of Hearts card.
The key secret of the Fusion is by using a gaff card or gimmick card.
Since it is a specially-made trick card, the transformation card (King of Hearts) picked by the spectator has to be forced.
It means, the magician has to influence or control the spectator’s choice of the chosen card.
So that the so-called chosen card (King of Hearts) has to be in the gaff card.
Double Lift Nine Of Spades Card
Magician Mickael Chatelain does a double lift when he shows the Nine of Spades card to the camera.
It means he is holding up two cards.
The first piece in front is a normal card, but the second card hidden behind is a gaff card.
For his case, he uses two Nine of Spades cards, as you can see from the video at: 0:23.
He picks up the top Nine of Spades, which is a gimmick card.
Now you know why he has to briefly place the two cards back on top of the deck, so that he can pick up the gimmick card.
You can clearly see the gaff card is already well-folded by the way he lifts it up from the deck, and its deep-seated creased line.
It’s part of the trick, when he continue rubbing the folding line, as he keeps rotating the card around.
This move is to convince the viewers, that is the same normal Nine of Hearts card, which he has just shown it to the camera at 0:24.
This is the psychology of this trick, which I would explain at the end of article.
The folded gaff card is NOT the Nine of Spades card.
There is NO proper Nine of Spades card during the trick.
He does not unfold to show it is the Nine of Spades card in the video.
It is actually the King of Hearts card, which it is shown at the end of the trick.
From this video, it is the Jack of Clubs card and not the Ace of Diamonds.
Now, let’s get to the bit and pieces…
King Of Hearts Card With Folded In Edges
The half folded-up card is actually the King of the Hearts card, with its two diagonally opposite corners folded in, as indicated in the picture below.
The two folded corners are attached each with a cropped corner piece of the Nine of Spades pip (indicated).
With the two ends folded in, you see these two Nine of Spades pips at the two opposite corners.
By just showing these are two corners, the viewers believe that is the Nine of Spades card.
In fact, you can see the this jointed parts of the Fusion gimmick clearly at the online magic store websites.
Similarly you can see it from Mickael Chatelain and John Cardella’s video clip.
How Does Fusion Card Trick Work
In the demo video, I reckon the top corner of this gaff card is attached with an elastic thread.
This image is capture from the video, where you can see the punctured hole, which is most probably for the elastic thread.
I assume the elastic thread is connected to both the folded-in corner of the King of Hearts and the attached corner piece of Nine of Spades.
It is to pull out the folded-in corner of the King of Hearts, and simultaneously to pull the Nine of Spades corner piece to the back of the card.
In this scene from the demo video at 0:45, it looks like the Seven of Hearts card corner is bending backwards, then it is replaces with the Queen of Clubs.
It seems like, it is being pulled by the elastic thread.
You need to slowdown the playback speed to 0.25, to view it clearer.
Watch the space between Mickael Chatelain’s index and middle finger at 0:35, and you would notice a quick disappearance of a white color spot.
It must be the white background of the Nine of Spades card flipping backward.
After the transformation effect, when they unfold the top half of the card, you can see an extra piece on top of of it.
It should be the just flipped back Nine of Spades attached corner piece.
This one is captured from John Cardella’s performance, where you can even even see the pointed edge of the attached piece at 1:02:
When opening up the bottom half the card to finish up the act, you can see Mickael’s thumb (indicated) discreetly spreading out the folded-in corner at 0:36.
Again, you need to slow down the playback speed to 0.25, then you can see it clearer.
Look closely and you can see the black color of the Spade pip.
Finally you can now show both side of the gimmick card to the viewers.
This is Mickael Chatelain Fusion card trick secret how to turn one playing card to another.
Psychology Of Fusion Card Trick
When Mickael repeatedly folding and rotating the gimmick card, he is trying to influence the viewers that it is the Nine of Spades card.
This sneaky maneuver uses psychological misdirection and repetition.
That can lead the viewers to assume and believe that is the Nine of Spades card.
This is one way how magicians achieve their goal through the manipulation of human attention and perception.
You can read this free research paper on, “The Psychology of Magic and the Magic of Psychology“.